WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he had nominated Michel Issa to be the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon.
“Michel is an outstanding businessman, a financial expert, and a leader with a remarkable career in Banking, Entrepreneurship, and International Trade,” Trump said on Truth Social.
He succeeds Ambassador Lisa A. Johnson in this position.
Born in Bsees, Aley district, Issa lived in Beirut in his early childhood then moved to France and studied economics at the University of Paris. He completed the prestigious postgraduate course at banking institutes while embarking on a twenty-year career at UBAF- Chase Manhattan Bank- Banque Indosuez and Credit Agricole.
His extensive experience in currency trading in Paris and New York extended to managing the trading floor where he chaired several committees in the field of credit and compliance.
Issa’s expertise has been recognized in several financial journals, and he has participated in numerous seminars, discussing many aspects of the financial industry, from credit and compliance to technology and its impact on the trading industry.
His passion for cars led him to retire from banking in 1999 to pursue his interest in cars, where he now has his own dealership for VW, Porsche and Audi .
File photo of newly appointed US ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and US president Donal Trump
Issa is reportedly a personal friend and golfing partner of President Trump according to Ashar Al Awsat daily
Reuters/ El Nashra / Asharq Al Awsat